Be A Good Summer Camp Counselor

As mundane and simple as it may seem, being a good summer camp hoop counselor should be viewed, first and foremost, as a privilege, especially for the younger set.

I’ve had the good fortune to be involved in a number of outstanding hoop camps, especially when I was younger; none better than Dick Baumgartner’s Shooting Camps in Richmond, Ind.

It was also my privilege years ago to work with the celebrated coach as one of his ninth-grade hoop bosses before I moved back to Maine.

Dick ran some great camps, and once I settled into the camp counselor routine, I really learned a lot about the Indiana Hall of Fame coach’s shooting technique instruction.

Let’s list a few rules about camp counseling, which may serve new counselors well, heading into the summer work.
 
Rule No. 1 – Know what is expected of you early

Most of the good camps, which I have worked, are very organized and list counselor duties long before the event(s) start.

Reviewing all that is required of you, the counselor, is a good place to start before arriving on the scene.

You will, no doubt, be required to attend a meeting before the first session to make certain that all counselors are on the same page with the leader. Never attempt to “wing it.” Be prepared. It’s your job.
 
Rule No. 2 – Be prompt in all you do.
Never treat the counselor’s job as a way to make easy money.

I’ve worked enough of these camps to know that not all counselors take those spots as seriously as they should.

Don’t be one of those types.

Treat the situation as if it were your own camp.
 
Rule No. 3 – Get to know the players you are assigned to lead.

One of the great things about camps is getting to know the players you’ll be assigned.

I have many fond memories of the players I coached at summer camps, and I have great memories of the leagues within the structure of the camps.

Often times, I got to know kids my teams had played against, and when I worked camps outside of Maine, I got to know several athletes who were headed to play Division I.

That was a thrill. It really was. I always felt that I had stepped into a higher level of coaching and I enjoyed every minute of it.
 
Rule No. 4 – Take something away from the experience that helps improve you as a coach and certainly aids your program.

Never spend a minute in a different program that does not give you something to aid you and your school professionally.

Be the best at what you do as a summer camp counselor. Seek always to shine, even in summer sessions. Set the bar high for the kids under you.

By doing all the aforementioned things, you not only enhance the reputation of the camp, you enhance your own reputation and the reputation of your own program.